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How long can you go without saying “Cloud”

In 2012 if you approach me an use the word “Cloud” without telling me what you’re doing with it, I will laugh at you.  If you, like most, just like the sound of the word, but don’t yet know how to use it, well, that is what this blog post is about, and my session at the AIIM Conference on March 21, 2012 in San Francisco.

Every year we have a nebulous word that consumes us all.  And as is always the case, the word itself means nothing.  But it is an entry point into some turkey valuable technologies.  How we arrived at “Cloud”, over other more fun terms for the latest version of the Interwebs, I do not know.  What I know is that when an ECMer says the word “Cloud” they are most likely referring to cloud-based file systems. When someone in the accounting department of a large company talks about “Cloud” they are talking about SAP or SalesForce. And finally when my friends or family talk about Cloud they are referring to the latest version of FarmVille, Neflix, or my Chihuahua’s blog.

The enthusiasm for the term is the great part.  It drives companies to consider evolving into no areas of productivity.  The bad part is that it avoids the application of the technology.  The “Cloud” really only defines connectivity, infrastructure, and distribution of a technology that has existed for many ears.  The benefit of this modern version of the web is that it finally because as robust a place to do business as the local desktop.

So in 2012 we will no longer refer to the “Cloud” as a thing that solves all problems and provides unlimited joy.  We will talk about the “Cloud” as specific solutions to productivity problems.  For example the:

1.)    Elimination of overwhelming IT infrastructure

2.)    Shift of liability for SLAs to vendors

3.)    The high availability content for all who have access

Etc., Etc..  And with all the problems that the Cloud actually does solve, some new was are raised, so we will discuss:

1.)    Keeping compliant in the “Cloud”

2.)    Enabling single sign on and desktop level efficiency’s in the “Cloud”

3.)    Managing various user controlled repositories

Etc., Etc..  Bottom line is we must talk about the details of using the Cloud and start solving real problems.  We are at the point of actualization of web based technologies, not just talk.

A great place to start this adventure as always is the resources currently produced, and in production ( Wink Wink keep an eye out for a “Cloud” guide ) by AIIM, and the AIIM conference in March 2012.  Helping us all to start the year off right, by removing the veil of ambiguity!

Comments

re: “Shift of liability for SLAs to vendors"

Submitted by John Phillips January 04, 2012 - 1:59 PM

Chris,

I like your expose of the foggy terminology called the Cloud. We need to be reminded that terms like "the computer," "the Network," and others mean drastically different things to different people in different settings. Don't get me started on "the Record."

But I am very curious about what you mean regarding "Shift of liability for SLAs to vendors." A major impediment to using the cloud is an organization's inability to demonstrably retain responsibility for records control and maintenance in that environment. Embedding Records Management clauses in the SLAs is part of a solution, but I am not sure what you mean by “Shift of liability for SLAs to vendors". To date, I have seen no evidence that suggests any court would grant that one’s recordkeeping responsibilities were diminished simply because one delegated the task of maintaining the records container to someone else.

What does “Shift of liability for SLAs to vendors" mean?

John

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Oh no SLA is another one

Submitted by Chris Riley, ECMp, IOAp January 04, 2012 - 4:20 PM

Your right. You caught me. SLA also means a lot. I'm referring to IT's SLA. Up time. With the Cloud you get to blame the vendor. So i'm talking about the infrastructure not the business application. I would argue that they should be two different SLAs. Just like IT governance plan is not the same as a platform governance plan.

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